Fire-escape



(No Model.)

G. R. SHELTON.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 310,087. Patented Dec. 30, 1884;

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I i Z a, Z1 L I W II/FIW CLARK 1t. SHELTON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.310,087, dated December 30, 1884.

Application filed October-20,1884. (N0 model.)

To (tZl whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that l, CLARK R. SllrlL'lON, of Xew Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, so much of the wall as shows a single series of openings with the escape at taehed, the car before the upper opening; Fig. 2, the same showing the crane and car as turned away from the opening, as in ascending or descending.

This invention relates to a device to be attached to a building, by means of which a car may be raised to any adjacent opening in the "all of the building, to receive persons therefrom and lower them to the ground, or which may be used for the purpose of taking firemen with their hose from the ground to such elevated openings in the building; and the invention consists, principally, in a crane hung above the highest opening to be reached, the shaft of the crane extending down to a point near the earth, whereby the free end of the crane may be turned toward or from the building, combined with a guide-rod parallel with the shaft, and pulleys over which a rope may run from the ground up to the free end of the crane, and a car arranged to be attached to the rope, and in connection with said parallel rod, whereby the car may be guided in its ascent and descent and its swinging movement prevented, as more fully hereinafter described.

A represents the vertical shaft, which is supported in suitable bearings, a, vertically on the wall of the building to be protected, and from a point near the earth to a point above the highest opening to be reached.

From the shaft A an arm, 13, extends at substantially right angles, and provided with a brace, O, or otherwise supported, so as to form substantially what is commonly called a crane.

At the outer end of the arm B a fixed pulley, b, is arranged, and near the shaft a like fixed pulley, c, is arranged, over which a rope,

d, passes, thence to the ground, or to any suit able windlass at the ground, whereby the rope may be operated. The end of the rope which passes over the pulley b is provided with a suitable hook, c.

D is a guide-rod arranged vertically and parallel with the shaft A, supported at its two ends, but substantially free between.

E is the car, which is hung upon the hook 0, and at its side next the rod D loops f are arranged, connecting the car with the saidrod D, but so as to move freely up and down thereon.

The car may be raised or lowered by means of the rope (Z. The guide-rod D, through the loops f 1, serves to prevent the car from swaying or swinging in its passage up or down.

When not required for use, the car may be detached, and, say, a weight, h, hung to the hook 6, sufficient to draw the hook down when the rope is free. The crane is arranged so that its free end stands in line with the series of openings-say windows-in the building, as seen in Fig. 1.

In the normal condition of the apparatus the car will be detached and simply the weight h suspended. Should a fire occur, or from any cause it should be desired to reach the open ings in the building, the rope is freed and the weight brings the hook at once to the ground. The car is there engaged with the hook, the loops engaged with the rod D, and then the car raised by drawing upon the rope, and, suppose the opening to be reached be an upper window, as seen in Fig. 1, the ear is drawn up to that point, when the crane is turned outward, as in Fig. 2, then the crane turned brings the car in front of the window as seen in Fig. 1, there to receive the persons who desire to de scend. They entering the car, the crane is turned by the persons in attendance at the ground by means of a lever, F, on the shaft A, to take the ear away from the buiding, and, as seen in Fig. 2, then the car is lowered and the persons therein safely brought to the ground; or, should it be desired to take firemen to this opening, they enter the car before it ascends, and then when it reaches the opening the car is swung around to that opening,so as to permit the firemen toenter or to direct theirhose through that opening, if so required.

By the employment of the rod D and its connection with the ear, the car is prevented from swaying or swinging on thehoolgwhich it must do were no such guiding provided. The guiderod, being parallel with the craneshaftA and attached thereto, swings with the crane and aids in moving the car to and from the building.

A windlass, G, may be provided at the ground, by which the rope may be wound to raise the car; or the rope may be operated by the hands of the firemen.

I am aware that an arm has been projected from a building,carrying a pulley over which a rope has been made to run, with a car attached to one end, and so that the car may be raised or lowered to or from any adjacent opening in the building, and therefore do not claim such construction, the essential features of my invention being, first, the vertical shaft extending from the earth up the side of the building, having an arm extending therefrom, and whereby at the earth the car may be turned toward or from an adjacent opening in the building, and so as to take it clear from the building in raising and lowering; and,second, in the guide-rod whereby the swaying or swi ng ing of the car in its ascent or descent is pre vented.

I claim 1. The combination of the vertical shaft A, arranged to extend from near the ground above the highest opening to be protccted,the braced arm B,pro 'ecting from and fixed by one end to said shaft, the said shaft free to turn to move the arm B toward or from the opening over which it is arranged, the said arm provided with a fixed pulley at its outer end, a rope running over said pulley, one end to the ground, the other provided with the hook e, anda car suspended upon said hook, substantially as de scribed, and whereby said car may be raised or lowered and turned toward orfrom the several openings in the building below the said arm, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the vertical shaft A, supported on the wall of the building and adjacent to a series of openings therein, the braced arm' B,cxtending from and fixed tosaid shaft, and so as to turn with the shaft to take the said arm toward or from the wall, the vertical. rod D,parallel with the rod A, and fixed thereto at its upper and lower ends, and so as to turn with the said arm, the said arm pro vided with a pulley, b, at its outer end, arope over said pulley, one end extending to the ground, and a car, E, hung to the other end of said rope, and connected to said vertical rod D so as to slide up and down freely thereon, the said rod serving as a guide for such upand-down movement of the car, substantially as described.

' CLARK R. SHELTON.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN E. Exnme,

.Tos. C. EAVRLE. 

